Buon’Italia, which has a 3,000-square-foot shop in New York City’s Chelsea Market, has cut the ribbon on a 27,500-square-foot warehouse on Port Jersey Blvd. in Jersey City.

In 2015, Buon’Italia’s founder, Domenico “Mimmo” Magliulo, and his family embarked on a plan to expand the company’s wholesale distribution capabilities, When Magliulo made the strategic decision to locate Buon’Italia’s wholesale operations in Jersey City, he turned to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority’s (EDA’s) Premier Lender Program for support. A Fulton Bank loan with a nearly 26 percent EDA participation helped the company acquire its new facility. Fulton Bank is one of EDA’s approximately two dozen Premier Lender partners.

“Jersey City offers many logistical advantages, including access to major ports, highways, and Hudson River crossings, while still remaining close to the heart of our existing customer base,” said Magliulo. “The support provided by Fulton Bank and the EDA has truly helped to facilitate our expansion.”

EDA Chief Executive Officer Melissa Orsen visited Buon’Italia to raise awareness of the Premier Lender Program and the range of other low-cost financing solutions offered by the EDA to support the growth of small businesses in New Jersey. She was joined by Angelica Lyons, commercial lender, Fulton Bank.

“We welcome Buon’Italia to the state and encourage all companies looking to expand or invest in their operations to look to the EDA first so they can be informed of all financing options available to support their growth in New Jersey,” said Orsen. “Our highly skilled labor pool, perfect location, and world-class infrastructure have attracted scores of distribution and warehouse centers to the state. Together with a booming food and agriculture industry, New Jersey is an ideal home for Buon’Italia as it continues to grow.”

A federal judge in San Francisco permanently blocked the enforcement of President Donald Trump’s executive order on Monday, Nov. 20 that called for restricting federal grant money from so-called “sanctuary cities.”

U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick ruled the order unconstitutional for violating separation of powers and due process of law because the president does not have the authority to deprive local jurisdictions of funds allocated by Congress.

A “sanctuary city” is not legally defined, but is generally considered to be a local jurisdiction that does not comply with requests from federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in detaining undocumented persons unless they are involved in a serious crime. Over 200 localities refused to cooperate in 2015, according to congressional testimony from the Director of ICE.

Jersey City and Union City adopted sanctuary city ordinances in 2017, while other Hudson County leaders have voiced opposition to the president’s rhetoric and actions.

Mayor Steven Fulop said in January, “Jersey City was founded as a city of immigrants and we are unwilling to be part of orders that break families apart or harm immigrants who are in this country.”

When Union City passed on ordinance declaring sanctuary city status in February, Mayor Brian Stack said “I don’t believe that the president of the United States could make local police enforce immigration laws that are supposed to be federally enforced. Second, I don’t believe the court system will allow it. I think that common sense will prevail, and they won’t allow it.”

The litigation over the executive order will continue in federal appellate court, and possibly the Supreme Court, if either case makes it that far.

Should the PATH run to Newark Airport? Let the Port Authority know

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will hold two public hearings regarding a possible PATH extension near Newark Airport.

The first hearing will take place Nov. 28, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Weequahic Park Sports Authority Community Center in Newark. The center is located at 92 Carmichael Dr.

The second hearing will happen Nov. 30, also from 5 to 8 p.m., at the Hilton Newark Penn Station’s Garden State Ballroom. The hotel is located at 1048 Raymond Blvd.

If everything goes as planned, the new station will be located on off-airport property east of Frelinghuysen Avenue (at Noble Street), per the Port Authority website. It would also be near the Newark Liberty International Airport New Jersey Transit station and PANYNJ monorail station in Newark.

“The purpose of the proposed project is to improve transit access to employment centers in Newark, Jersey City, and New York City for New Jersey commuters and increase transit options to EWR for air travelers and airport employees,” the expansion website says.

For more information, contact the project team at 917-933-7440, or email PATHextension@panynj.gov.

The program will be held in Staff Rooms A & B at the hospital, 176 Palisade Ave.

Central Avenue’s reusable tote bags are back for 2017

The Central Avenue S.I.D. Management Corporation announced that thirty-six of its local businesses have again sponsored the distribution of 2,000 reusable tote bags which are now being spread to customers throughout the holidays. Central Avenue businesses have distributed 6,000 reusable tote bags during the last three holiday seasons combined.

“Local Jersey City businesses are doing their part to reduce the dependence on plastic bags,” said Sanford Fishman, CASID President and pharmacist at Bond Drugs. “We want our city to be more sustainable and help reduce the amount of litter that is often seen floating around the city. This is also serves as a reminder that shopping local is the gift that keeps on giving,”

Many participating businesses will hand out the tote bags on Small Business Saturday which falls on Nov. 25. This year’s stylish Central Avenue/ The Heights tote bags come in two colors: green and yellow. Sponsors are listed by business name, address, and telephone number on the bags. A list of sponsors is available on CASID’s website, JCHeights.com. Anyone who would like a reusable bag should request one during his or her next Central Avenue visit. The bags will be given away while supplies last.

Shoppers and visitors will also be treated to our annual holiday decorations which include over 130 lighting pieces and forty festive banners spread throughout the district. The City of Jersey City has announced free two-hour parking in municipal lots between Black Friday (Nov. 24) and New Year’s Day (Jan. 1). Shoppers will save half the sales tax on retail purchases at registered UEZ businesses. Additionally, the CASID as joined the citywide effort to encourage “Shop Jersey City, Buy Local.” Many local businesses are proudly displaying a “Shop Jersey City” decal on their front doors in support.

Jackson Hill Main Street in Jersey City featured in annual ‘Main Streets Across America’

National Life Group has announced its annual list of Main Streets Across America, a celebration of streets in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia that embrace a strong sense of community and a commitment to creating an environment where people want to live, work and play. New Jersey is represented this year by Jackson Hill Main Street, a Special Improvement District (SID) in Jersey City.

“Jackson Hill Main Street is a great example of a vibrant place at the heart of its community,” said Richard Reyes of Federal Employee Benefit Counselors, an affiliate of National Life Group. “I am thrilled that it’s featured this year and that we get to share Jersey City’s community pride and unique stories with a broader audience.”

A trip through the Main Streets Across America interactive map reveals many interesting features and facts about these streets and their communities, both current and historical.

The Main Streets Across America website notes, “Today’s Jackson Hill District reflects the multicultural energy that has helped make Jersey City attractive to a growing number of young professionals. The local community of the district has deep roots and is home to a very culturally rich and diverse population. You can literally taste that richness along King and Monticello Avenues, whose restaurants feature Jamaican, Greek, Caribbean, Latin and American soul food.”

The streets featured in Main Streets Across America were selected based on four primary categories of community attributes that reflect strong ‘main street’ values: a strong local business presence, community gathering spots and scenic vistas, celebrations of history and traditions and reflections of civic pride and diverse social and cultural events and activities

The Jackson Hill Main Street Special Improvement District (JHMSSID), parallels Manhattan running south to north along Martin Luther King Drive, reaching east and west as it crosses Communipaw and continues north along Monticello Avenue.

“As a company, a corporate citizen and a community partner, we at National Life Group believe that main street values still exist and that a handshake, a friendly smile and a personal greeting still mean something in business and in life,” said Mehran Assadi, Chairman, CEO and President, National Life Group. “We strive to live by those main street values every day.”

To view the map of this year’s Main Streets Across America, show support for your favorite street by sharing via social media or to suggest a street for next year’s list, go to: https://blog.nationallife.com/main-streets/

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Hudson County Community College hosts holiday marketplace Dec. 17

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) invites the entire community to take part in a holiday afternoon at the 2017 Holiday Marketplace on Sunday, Dec. 17, from noon to 4 p.m. This second annual event is being hosted by the College’s Department of Community Education, and will be held in the HCCC Culinary Conference Center at 161 Newkirk St., just two blocks from the Journal Square PATH Transportation Center in Jersey City. There is no charge for admission.

Once again this year, the college is transforming the HCCC Culinary Conference Center into a winter wonderland especially for the Holiday Marketplace. Local vendors will be present with a wide variety of gifts for children, women, and men that will be available for purchase.

A number of activities are planned to keep children entertained while parents and caregivers shop. There will be: holiday-themed story book readings by members of the Speranza Theater Company; a magic and puppet show; holiday crafts; face paintings; balloon animals; and opportunities for “selfies” with Santa Claus.

Hudson County CASA seeking volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be held at Little City Books at 100 Bloomfield St, Hoboken, NJ on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 7 p.m.

Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures.

New Jersey City University (NJCU) Center for the Arts is the creative umbrella for the university’s performing, visual, film, and literary arts activities. The Center, at 2039 John F. Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City, has announced its arts and culture events for December.

Highlights for December include a Holiday Concert for Peace by the NJCU Concert Chorale and Chamber Singers (Dec. 3) and the NJCU Jazz Ensemble in A Portrait of Duke Ellington (Dec. 4). Barbara London, a curator and writer who started the video collection at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), talks about her work (Dec. 5). In the galleries, Eileen Ferara curates On a Different Page, a group exhibition that creatively employs books in all their forms (on view thru Dec. 14).

For the full Fall 2017 Calendar of Events for NJCU performing, visual, and literary arts visit www.njcu.edu/arts. For additional information call (201) 200-3426. NJCU’s spring performing arts programs will be announced in January 2018.

All of NJCU’s performances and events in December are free, and reservations may be made in advance online.

For more information, group sales and reservations, please contact the box office directly: boxoffice@njcu.edu.